Sri Lankan food is somewhat undiscovered in Bangkok. Not to mention it’s often mistaken with Indian food here. In an effort to change this perception, restaurateur Chandni Gulrajani (Ministry of Crab) is bringing a slice of Sinhalese culture to Bangkok with Cocolombo.

 

Operating out of a cloud kitchen, Cocolombo deals in Sri Lankan comfort food—which is not always for the faint-hearted.

 

The food from the island of rice and curry can be unapologetically flavorful. Think fiery curries and sweet and spicy sambals. But the coconut is the building block of the cuisine; coconut oil, coconut milk, grated coconut, and more feature big in the island’s food.

 

In keeping with culinary tradition, Cocolombo serves a range of flavorful, coconut-based curries and delivers meals in the humble, eco-friendly banana leaf.

 

Order the Signature Leaf (B390/B320 veg), an all-in-one meal, which comes with one curry, papadum, and a selection of intensely flavored sauces and relishes. The meat-based curries you can choose from include black pork, chicken, king mackerel, and boneless mutton (add B100). The veg version is really vegan, owing to the abundance of vegetables, tropical fruit, and coconut-based ingredients on hand. Opt for sweet-and-tangy mango, potato, or jackfruit curry as the main.

 

Both come with coconut dahl, brinjal moju (pickled eggplant relish), okra, and a cucumber salad, plus three different spicy sambals. You can add more curries, sides, and sambals if you’re looking for a feast (from B100 for extra veg curries).

 

Crumble the papadum on top and mix everything together with the rice to get all the flavors in a bite—an unwritten rule for Sri Lankan food—and eat with your hands for the full experience.

 

You can also order popular street food like kottu roti (chopped roti cooked on a griddle with meat or vegetables; from B160), served with chicken, black pork, mutton, spicy chicken and cheese, or jackfruit here.

 

For dessert, don’t miss on the banana bondis (B150). Playfully dubbed “This S**T is BANANAS,” this rich dessert is a cup of banana fritters drizzled in salted caramel. Gulrajani recommends eating them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dash of cinnamon. A vegan option (B190) made with peanut butter and coconut sugar is also available.